This animal is confined to South America, where it is frequently called
a tiger. It greatly resembles the panther of Africa in size,
appearance, and habits. It inhabits thick forests, and sometimes
destroys cows and horses. It also feeds on fish, which it entices to
the surface by its spittle, and then knocks them out of the water with
its paw.
_The Jaguar's Cave._--From the numerous anecdotes in relation to this
animal, we select the following interesting account communicated to the
Edinburgh Literary Journal: "On leaving the Indian village, we
continued to wind round Chimborazo's wide base; but its snow-crowned
head no longer shone above us in clear brilliancy, for a dense fog was
gathering gradually around it. Our guides looked anxiously towards it,
and announced their apprehensions of a violent storm. We soon found
that their fears were well founded. The thunder began to roll, and
resounded through the mountainous passes with the most terrific
grandeur. Then came the vivid lightning; flash following flash--above,
around, beneath--every where a sea of fire. We sought a momentary
shelter in the cleft of the rocks, whilst one of our guides hastened
forward to seek a more secure asylum. In a short time he returned and
informed us that he had discovered a spacious cavern, which would
afford us sufficient protection from the elements. We proceeded thither
immediately, and with great difficulty, and some danger, at last got
into it.
"When the storm had somewhat abated, our guides ventured out, to
ascertain if it were possible to continue our journey. The cave in
which we had taken refuge was so extremely dark, that, if we moved a
few paces from the entrance, we could not see an inch before us; and we
were debating as to the propriety of leaving it, even before the
Indians came back, when we suddenly heard a singular groaning or
growling, in the farther end of the cavern, which instantly fixed all
our attention. Wharton and myself listened anxiously; but our
inconsiderate young friend Lincoln, together with my huntsman, crept
about on their hands and knees, and endeavored to discover, by groping,
whence the sound proceeded.
"They had not advanced far into the cavern, before we heard them utter
an exclamation of surprise; and they returned to us, each carrying in
his arms an animal singularly marked, about the size of a cat,
seemingly of great strength and power, and furnished with immense
fangs. The eyes were of a green color; strong claws were upon their
feet; and a blood-red tongue hung out of their mouths. Wharton had
scarcely glanced at them, when he exclaimed in consternation, 'We have
come into the den of a ----' He was interrupted by a fearful cry of
dismay from our guides, who came rushing precipitately towards us,
calling out, 'A tiger, a tiger!' and, at the same time, with
extraordinary rapidity, they climbed up a cedar-tree which stood at the
entrance of the cave, and hid themselves among the branches.
"After the first sensation of horror and surprise, which rendered me
motionless for a moment, had subsided, I grasped my fire-arms. Wharton
had already regained his composure and self-possession; and he called
to us to assist in blocking up the mouth of the cave with an immense
stone which fortunately lay near it. The sense of imminent danger
augmented our strength; for we now distinctly heard the growl of the
ferocious animal, and we were lost, beyond redemption, if he reached
the entrance before we could get it closed. Ere this was done, we could
distinctly see the tiger bounding towards the spot, and stooping in
order to creep into his den by the narrow opening. At this fearful
moment, our exertions were successful, and the great stone kept the
wild beast at bay.
"There was a small, open space, however, left between the top of the
entrance and the stone, through which we could see the head of the
animal, illuminated by his glowing eyes, which he rolled, glaring with
fury, upon us. His frightful roaring, too, penetrated to the depths of
the cavern, and was answered by the hoarse growling of the cubs. Our
ferocious enemy attempted first to remove the stone with his powerful
claws, and then to push it with his head from its place; and these
efforts proving abortive, served only to increase his wrath. He uttered
a tremendous, heart-piercing growl, and his flaming eyes darted light
into the darkness of our retreat.
"'Now is the time to fire at him,' said Wharton, with his usual
calmness. 'Aim at his eyes; the ball will go through his brain, and we
shall then have a chance to get rid of him.'
"Frank seized his double-barrelled gun, and Lincoln his pistols. The
former placed the muzzle within a few inches of the tiger, and Lincoln
did the same. At Wharton's command, they both drew their triggers at
the same moment; but no shot followed. The tiger, who seemed aware that
the flash indicated an attack upon him, sprang growling from the
entrance, but, finding himself unhurt, immediately turned back, and
stationed himself in his former place. The powder in both pieces was
wet.
"'All is now over,' said Wharton. 'We have only now to choose whether
we shall die of hunger, together with these animals who are shut up
along with us, or open the entrance to the bloodthirsty monster
without, and so make a quicker end of the matter.'
"So saying, he placed himself close beside the stone, which for the
moment defended us, and looked undauntedly upon the lightning eyes of
the tiger. Lincoln raved, and Frank took a piece of strong cord from
his pocket, and hastened to the farther end of the cave I knew not with
what design. We soon, however, heard a low, stifled groaning; the
tiger, which had heard it also, became more restless and disturbed than
ever. He went backwards and forwards, before the entrance of the cave,
in the most wild and impetuous manner; then stood still, and,
stretching out his neck towards the forest, broke forth into a
deafening howl.
"Our two Indian guides took advantage of this opportunity to discharge
several arrows from the tree; but the light weapons bounded back
harmless from his thick skin. At length, however, one of them struck
him near the eye, and the arrow remained sticking in the wound. He now
broke anew into the wildest fury, sprang at the tree, and tore it with
his claws, as if he would have dragged it to the ground. But having at
length succeeded in getting rid of the arrow, he became more calm, and
laid himself down, as before, in front of the cave.
"Frank now returned from the lower end of the den, and a glance showed
us what he had been doing. In each hand, and dangling from the end of a
string, were the two cubs. He had strangled them, and, before we were
aware what he intended, he threw them, through the opening, to the
tiger. No sooner did the animal perceive them, than he gazed earnestly
upon them, and began to examine them closely, turning them cautiously
from side to side. As soon as he became aware that they were dead, he
uttered so piercing a howl of sorrow, that we were obliged to put our
hands to our ears.
"The thunder had now ceased, and the storm had sunk to a gentle gale;
the songs of the birds were again heard in the neighboring forest, and
the sunbeams sparkled in the drops that hung from the leaves. We saw,
through the aperture, how all nature was reviving, after the wild war
of elements which had so recently taken place; but the contrast only
made our situation the more horrible. The tiger had laid himself down
beside his whelps. He was a beautiful animal, of great size and
strength; and his limbs, being stretched out at their full length,
displayed his immense power of muscle. A double row of great teeth
stood far enough apart to show his large red tongue, from which the
white foam fell in large drops.
"All at once, another roar was heard at a distance, and the tiger
immediately rose, and answered it with a mournful howl. At the same
instant, our Indians uttered a shriek, which announced that some new
danger threatened us. A few moments confirmed our worst fears; for
another tiger, not quite so large as the former, came rapidly towards
the spot where we were.
"The howls which the tigress gave, when she had examined the bodies of
her cubs, surpassed every thing of horrible that we had yet heard; and
the tiger mingled his mournful cries with hers. Suddenly her roaring
was lowered to a hoarse growling, and we saw her anxiously stretch out
her head, extend her wide and smoking nostrils, and look as if she were
determined to discover immediately the murderers of her young. Her eyes
quickly fell upon us, and she made a spring forward, with the intention
of penetrating our place of refuge. Perhaps she might have been
enabled, by her immense strength, to push away the stone, had we not,
with all our united power, held it against her.
"When she found that all her efforts were fruitless, she approached the
tiger, who lay stretched out beside his cubs, and he rose and joined in
her hollow roarings. They stood together for a few moments, as if in
consultation, and then suddenly went off at a rapid pace, and
disappeared from our sight. Their howlings died away in the distance,
and then entirely ceased.
"Our Indians descended from their tree, and called upon us to seize the
only possibility of yet saving ourselves, by instant flight, for that
the tigers had only gone round the height to seek another inlet into
the cave, with which they were, no doubt, acquainted. In the greatest
haste the stone was pushed aside, and we stepped forth from what we had
considered a living grave. We now heard once more the roaring of the
tigress, though at a distance, and, following the example of our
guides, we precipitately struck into a side path. From the number of
roots and branches of trees, with which the storm had strewed our way,
and the slipperiness of the road, our flight was slow and difficult.
"We had proceeded thus for about a quarter of an hour, when we found
that our way led along a rocky cliff, with innumerable fissures. We had
just entered upon it, when suddenly the Indians, who were before us,
uttered one of their piercing shrieks, and we immediately became aware
that the tigers were in pursuit of us. Urged by despair, we rushed
towards one of the breaks or gulfs in our way, over which was thrown a
bridge of reeds, that sprang up and down at every step, and could be
trod with safety by the light foot of the Indians alone. Deep in the
hollow below rushed an impetuous stream, and a thousand pointed and
jagged rocks threatened destruction on every side.
"Lincoln, my huntsman, and myself, passed over the chasm in safety; but
Wharton was still in the middle of the waving bridge, and endeavoring
to steady himself, when both the tigers were seen to issue from the
adjoining forest; and the moment they descried us, they bounded towards
us with dreadful roarings. Meanwhile, Wharton had nearly gained the
safe side of the gulf, and we were all clambering up the rocky cliff,
except Lincoln, who remained at the reedy bridge, to assist his friend
to step upon firm ground. Wharton, though the ferocious animals were
close upon him, never lost his courage or presence of mind. As soon as
he had gained the edge of the cliff, he knelt down, and, with his
sword, divided the fastenings by which the bridge was attached to the
rock.
"He expected that an effectual barrier would thus be put to the farther
progress of our pursuers; but he was mistaken; for he had scarcely
accomplished his task when the tigress, without a moment's pause,
rushed towards the chasm, and attempted to bound over it. It was a
fearful sight to see the mighty animal suspended for a moment in the
air, above the abyss; but the scene passed like a flash of lightning.
Her strength was not equal to the distance; she fell into the gulf,
and, before she reached the bottom, was torn into a thousand pieces by
the jagged points of the rocks.
"Her fate did not in the least dismay her companion. He followed her
with an immense spring, and reached the opposite side, but only with
his fore claws; and thus he clung to the edge of the precipice,
endeavoring to gain a footing. The Indians again uttered a wild shriek,
as if all hope had been lost.
"But Wharton, who was nearest the edge of the rock, advanced
courageously towards the tiger, and struck his sword into the animal's
breast. Enraged beyond all measure, the wild beast collected all his
strength, and, with a violent effort, fixing one of his hind legs upon
the cliff, he seized Wharton by the thigh. The heroic man still
preserved his fortitude. He grasped the trunk of a tree with his left
hand, to steady and support himself, while, with his right hand, he
wrenched and violently turned the sword, that was still in the breast
of the tiger. All this was the work of an instant. The Indians, Frank,
and myself, hastened to his assistance; but Lincoln, who was already at
his side, had seized Wharton's gun, which lay near upon the ground, and
struck so powerful a blow with the butt-end upon the head of the tiger,
that the animal, stunned and overpowered, let go his hold, and fell
back into the abyss."